1. At the invitation of the Government of Fiji, the twentieth
session of the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission (APFC) was held in Nadi, Fiji,
from 19 to 23 April 2004. Representatives of 29 member countries participated in
the session, along with observers and representatives from 7 international
organizations and 5 international non-governmental organizations. A list of
participants is given in Appendix B. The Commission welcomed Timor Leste
and Tonga as new members.

2. Mr. M. Hosny El-Lakany, Assistant Director-General and Head
of the Forestry Department of FAO, welcomed participants on behalf of the
Director-General of FAO. He thanked the Government of Fiji, and especially the
Ministry of Fisheries and Forests for hosting the meeting and for the excellent
arrangements. He noted that the Commission provided both FAO and participating
countries an excellent opportunity to discuss emerging forest policy issues in
the region, identify common problems, seek solutions and build
collaboration.

3. Reflecting on current challenges in Asia-Pacific forestry,
Mr. El-Lakany cited concerns over invasive species, illegal logging, forest
fires, forest degradation, weak institutional capacity and the need for more
effective implementation of participatory forestry. He highlighted the need to
strike a balance between economic growth and equity, emphasizing the critical
role forests play in alleviating rural poverty. He further stressed that
forestry must be fully integrated with other sectors in policy development,
particularly agriculture.

4. Mr. El-Lakany concluded by highlighting FAOs efforts
to enhance international dialogue and cooperation in forestry, through support
to the work of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF), and through
leadership of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF). He also emphasized
the important role that the regional forestry commissions provide in linking the
interests and concerns of countries at the regional level to the broader
international dialogue.

5. His Excellency Konisi T. Yabaki, Minister for Fisheries and
Forests of Fiji, welcomed participants and presented the inaugural address. He
urged the Commission to remain sensitive to the vast diversity of the
Asia-Pacific region and give due consideration to the needs and challenges faced
by the small island nations of the South Pacific. At the same time, he observed
that the current rapid pace of globalization and technological development
demanded more international and regional cooperation than ever before. He
applauded the efforts of the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission in supporting the
exchange of information and knowledge on best management practices, devolution
of forest management, improved forest harvesting, rehabilitation of degraded
lands, participatory approaches and implementation of national forest
programmes.

6. Highlighting the objectives of Fijis forestry sector
policies, His Excellency described the countrys efforts to develop
appropriate forestry institutions and infrastructure, manage forests
sustainably, create and manage community-owned plantations, establish locally
owned and managed processing facilities, and promote the export of value-added
timber products. He concluded by expressing optimism that the APFC session would
give rise to solid recommendations for regional cooperation and improved
management of the regions forests.